Demonstration of the adult dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as definitive host of Sarcocystis aucheniae under natural conditions

Autores
Vargas Tacuri, Cesar; Baldoni, Deborah; Giuliano, Susana M.; Malaga, José L.; Barriga Marcapura, Ximena; Chavez-Fumagalli, Miguel; Schnittger, Leonhard; Florin-Christensen, Monica; Reategui Ordoñez, Juan
Año de publicación
2026
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Sarcocystis aucheniae is a coccidian parasite responsible for macrocystic sarcocystosis in South American camelids (SACs), causing economic losses due to carcass condemnation and restrictions on meat commercialization. While the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) had been previously proposed as definitive host of this parasite based on experimental infection of puppies, evidence of adult dogs or other canids fulfilling this role under natural conditions was lacking. This study was thus designed to evaluate the presence of S. aucheniae infective stages in environmental fecal samples of canids. A total of 101 canid fecal samples from alpaca-breeding fields in Arequipa and Puno, in the southern Andes of Peru, were examined by sucrose flotation and microscopy. Sporocysts compatible with Sarcocystis spp. were detected in 17 samples (16.8%). Molecular analysis using a species-specific semi-nested PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene identified S. aucheniae DNA in eight of these samples. The corresponding canid species were determined by sequencing a fragment of the mitochondrial D-loop region, which confirmed Canis lupus familiaris as the source of all S. aucheniae-positive feces. These findings provide the first field-based molecular evidence that adult domestic dogs naturally excrete S. aucheniae sporocysts, thereby completing the parasite’s life cycle in SAC production systems. This discovery has major epidemiological implications, highlighting dogs as key reservoirs in the transmission cycle and as targets for control strategies. Preventing dogs from feeding on raw SAC meat and promoting proper carcass disposal are essential measures to reduce environmental contamination and transmission risk. The results shown in this study attempt to close a critical gap in understanding the biology of S. aucheniae and inform future control efforts in the Andean region.
Instituto de Patobiología
Fil: Vargas Tacuri, Cesar. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal; Perú
Fil: Baldoni, Deborah. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria; Argentina
Fil: Baldoni, Deborah. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina
Fil: Baldoni, Deborah. Universidad de Morón. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Giuliano, Susana M. Universidad de Buenos Aires(UBA). Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentina
Fil: Malaga, José L. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal; Perú
Fil: Barriga Marcapura, Ximena. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal; Perú
Fil: Chavez-Fumagalli, Miguel. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Computational Biology and Chemistry Research Group; Perú
Fil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria; Argentina
Fil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina
Fil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Universidad de Morón. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Florin-Christensen, Monica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria; Argentina
Fil: Florin-Christensen, Monica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina
Fil: Florin-Christensen, Monica. Universidad de Morón. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Reategui Ordoñez, Juan. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal; Perú
Fuente
Veterinary Parasitology 345 : 110784 ( July 2026)
Materia
Sarcocystis
Camelids
Dogs
Hosts
Andean Region
Camélidos
Canis lupus
Perro
Huéspedes
Región Andina
Sarcocystis aucheniae
Epidemiología Molecular
Molecular Epidemiology
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso restringido
Condiciones de uso
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Repositorio
INTA Digital (INTA)
Institución
Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
OAI Identificador
oai:localhost:20.500.12123/26162
Acceder
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oai_identifier_str oai:localhost:20.500.12123/26162
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spelling Demonstration of the adult dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as definitive host of Sarcocystis aucheniae under natural conditionsVargas Tacuri, CesarBaldoni, DeborahGiuliano, Susana M.Malaga, José L.Barriga Marcapura, XimenaChavez-Fumagalli, MiguelSchnittger, LeonhardFlorin-Christensen, MonicaReategui Ordoñez, JuanSarcocystisCamelidsDogsHostsAndean RegionCamélidosCanis lupusPerroHuéspedesRegión AndinaSarcocystis aucheniaeEpidemiología MolecularMolecular EpidemiologySarcocystis aucheniae is a coccidian parasite responsible for macrocystic sarcocystosis in South American camelids (SACs), causing economic losses due to carcass condemnation and restrictions on meat commercialization. While the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) had been previously proposed as definitive host of this parasite based on experimental infection of puppies, evidence of adult dogs or other canids fulfilling this role under natural conditions was lacking. This study was thus designed to evaluate the presence of S. aucheniae infective stages in environmental fecal samples of canids. A total of 101 canid fecal samples from alpaca-breeding fields in Arequipa and Puno, in the southern Andes of Peru, were examined by sucrose flotation and microscopy. Sporocysts compatible with Sarcocystis spp. were detected in 17 samples (16.8%). Molecular analysis using a species-specific semi-nested PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene identified S. aucheniae DNA in eight of these samples. The corresponding canid species were determined by sequencing a fragment of the mitochondrial D-loop region, which confirmed Canis lupus familiaris as the source of all S. aucheniae-positive feces. These findings provide the first field-based molecular evidence that adult domestic dogs naturally excrete S. aucheniae sporocysts, thereby completing the parasite’s life cycle in SAC production systems. This discovery has major epidemiological implications, highlighting dogs as key reservoirs in the transmission cycle and as targets for control strategies. Preventing dogs from feeding on raw SAC meat and promoting proper carcass disposal are essential measures to reduce environmental contamination and transmission risk. The results shown in this study attempt to close a critical gap in understanding the biology of S. aucheniae and inform future control efforts in the Andean region.Instituto de PatobiologíaFil: Vargas Tacuri, Cesar. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal; PerúFil: Baldoni, Deborah. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Baldoni, Deborah. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); ArgentinaFil: Baldoni, Deborah. Universidad de Morón. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Giuliano, Susana M. Universidad de Buenos Aires(UBA). Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Malaga, José L. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal; PerúFil: Barriga Marcapura, Ximena. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal; PerúFil: Chavez-Fumagalli, Miguel. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Computational Biology and Chemistry Research Group; PerúFil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); ArgentinaFil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Universidad de Morón. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Florin-Christensen, Monica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Florin-Christensen, Monica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); ArgentinaFil: Florin-Christensen, Monica. Universidad de Morón. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Reategui Ordoñez, Juan. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal; PerúElsevier2026-05-12T15:21:57Z2026-05-12T15:21:57Z2026-07info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/26162https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S03044017260010320304-40171873-2550https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2026.110784Veterinary Parasitology 345 : 110784 ( July 2026)reponame:INTA Digital (INTA)instname:Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuariaenginfo:eu-repograntAgreement/INTA/2023-PD-L06-I114, Desarrollo y aplicación de métodos diagnósticos y epidemiológicos para la producción pecuaria sustentable y agroalimentaria en humanos con foco en Una Saludinfo:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccesshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)2026-05-14T10:43:35Zoai:localhost:20.500.12123/26162instacron:INTAInstitucionalhttp://repositorio.inta.gob.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://repositorio.inta.gob.ar/oai/requesttripaldi.nicolas@inta.gob.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:l2026-05-14 10:43:36.0INTA Digital (INTA) - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuariafalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Demonstration of the adult dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as definitive host of Sarcocystis aucheniae under natural conditions
title Demonstration of the adult dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as definitive host of Sarcocystis aucheniae under natural conditions
spellingShingle Demonstration of the adult dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as definitive host of Sarcocystis aucheniae under natural conditions
Vargas Tacuri, Cesar
Sarcocystis
Camelids
Dogs
Hosts
Andean Region
Camélidos
Canis lupus
Perro
Huéspedes
Región Andina
Sarcocystis aucheniae
Epidemiología Molecular
Molecular Epidemiology
title_short Demonstration of the adult dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as definitive host of Sarcocystis aucheniae under natural conditions
title_full Demonstration of the adult dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as definitive host of Sarcocystis aucheniae under natural conditions
title_fullStr Demonstration of the adult dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as definitive host of Sarcocystis aucheniae under natural conditions
title_full_unstemmed Demonstration of the adult dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as definitive host of Sarcocystis aucheniae under natural conditions
title_sort Demonstration of the adult dog (Canis lupus familiaris) as definitive host of Sarcocystis aucheniae under natural conditions
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Vargas Tacuri, Cesar
Baldoni, Deborah
Giuliano, Susana M.
Malaga, José L.
Barriga Marcapura, Ximena
Chavez-Fumagalli, Miguel
Schnittger, Leonhard
Florin-Christensen, Monica
Reategui Ordoñez, Juan
author Vargas Tacuri, Cesar
author_facet Vargas Tacuri, Cesar
Baldoni, Deborah
Giuliano, Susana M.
Malaga, José L.
Barriga Marcapura, Ximena
Chavez-Fumagalli, Miguel
Schnittger, Leonhard
Florin-Christensen, Monica
Reategui Ordoñez, Juan
author_role author
author2 Baldoni, Deborah
Giuliano, Susana M.
Malaga, José L.
Barriga Marcapura, Ximena
Chavez-Fumagalli, Miguel
Schnittger, Leonhard
Florin-Christensen, Monica
Reategui Ordoñez, Juan
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Sarcocystis
Camelids
Dogs
Hosts
Andean Region
Camélidos
Canis lupus
Perro
Huéspedes
Región Andina
Sarcocystis aucheniae
Epidemiología Molecular
Molecular Epidemiology
topic Sarcocystis
Camelids
Dogs
Hosts
Andean Region
Camélidos
Canis lupus
Perro
Huéspedes
Región Andina
Sarcocystis aucheniae
Epidemiología Molecular
Molecular Epidemiology
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Sarcocystis aucheniae is a coccidian parasite responsible for macrocystic sarcocystosis in South American camelids (SACs), causing economic losses due to carcass condemnation and restrictions on meat commercialization. While the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) had been previously proposed as definitive host of this parasite based on experimental infection of puppies, evidence of adult dogs or other canids fulfilling this role under natural conditions was lacking. This study was thus designed to evaluate the presence of S. aucheniae infective stages in environmental fecal samples of canids. A total of 101 canid fecal samples from alpaca-breeding fields in Arequipa and Puno, in the southern Andes of Peru, were examined by sucrose flotation and microscopy. Sporocysts compatible with Sarcocystis spp. were detected in 17 samples (16.8%). Molecular analysis using a species-specific semi-nested PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene identified S. aucheniae DNA in eight of these samples. The corresponding canid species were determined by sequencing a fragment of the mitochondrial D-loop region, which confirmed Canis lupus familiaris as the source of all S. aucheniae-positive feces. These findings provide the first field-based molecular evidence that adult domestic dogs naturally excrete S. aucheniae sporocysts, thereby completing the parasite’s life cycle in SAC production systems. This discovery has major epidemiological implications, highlighting dogs as key reservoirs in the transmission cycle and as targets for control strategies. Preventing dogs from feeding on raw SAC meat and promoting proper carcass disposal are essential measures to reduce environmental contamination and transmission risk. The results shown in this study attempt to close a critical gap in understanding the biology of S. aucheniae and inform future control efforts in the Andean region.
Instituto de Patobiología
Fil: Vargas Tacuri, Cesar. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal; Perú
Fil: Baldoni, Deborah. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria; Argentina
Fil: Baldoni, Deborah. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina
Fil: Baldoni, Deborah. Universidad de Morón. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Giuliano, Susana M. Universidad de Buenos Aires(UBA). Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentina
Fil: Malaga, José L. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal; Perú
Fil: Barriga Marcapura, Ximena. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal; Perú
Fil: Chavez-Fumagalli, Miguel. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Computational Biology and Chemistry Research Group; Perú
Fil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria; Argentina
Fil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina
Fil: Schnittger, Leonhard. Universidad de Morón. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Florin-Christensen, Monica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria; Argentina
Fil: Florin-Christensen, Monica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina
Fil: Florin-Christensen, Monica. Universidad de Morón. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina
Fil: Reategui Ordoñez, Juan. Universidad Católica de Santa María. Vicerrectorado de Investigación. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal; Perú
description Sarcocystis aucheniae is a coccidian parasite responsible for macrocystic sarcocystosis in South American camelids (SACs), causing economic losses due to carcass condemnation and restrictions on meat commercialization. While the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) had been previously proposed as definitive host of this parasite based on experimental infection of puppies, evidence of adult dogs or other canids fulfilling this role under natural conditions was lacking. This study was thus designed to evaluate the presence of S. aucheniae infective stages in environmental fecal samples of canids. A total of 101 canid fecal samples from alpaca-breeding fields in Arequipa and Puno, in the southern Andes of Peru, were examined by sucrose flotation and microscopy. Sporocysts compatible with Sarcocystis spp. were detected in 17 samples (16.8%). Molecular analysis using a species-specific semi-nested PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene identified S. aucheniae DNA in eight of these samples. The corresponding canid species were determined by sequencing a fragment of the mitochondrial D-loop region, which confirmed Canis lupus familiaris as the source of all S. aucheniae-positive feces. These findings provide the first field-based molecular evidence that adult domestic dogs naturally excrete S. aucheniae sporocysts, thereby completing the parasite’s life cycle in SAC production systems. This discovery has major epidemiological implications, highlighting dogs as key reservoirs in the transmission cycle and as targets for control strategies. Preventing dogs from feeding on raw SAC meat and promoting proper carcass disposal are essential measures to reduce environmental contamination and transmission risk. The results shown in this study attempt to close a critical gap in understanding the biology of S. aucheniae and inform future control efforts in the Andean region.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026-05-12T15:21:57Z
2026-05-12T15:21:57Z
2026-07
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/26162
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304401726001032
0304-4017
1873-2550
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2026.110784
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/26162
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304401726001032
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2026.110784
identifier_str_mv 0304-4017
1873-2550
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repograntAgreement/INTA/2023-PD-L06-I114, Desarrollo y aplicación de métodos diagnósticos y epidemiológicos para la producción pecuaria sustentable y agroalimentaria en humanos con foco en Una Salud
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
eu_rights_str_mv restrictedAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Veterinary Parasitology 345 : 110784 ( July 2026)
reponame:INTA Digital (INTA)
instname:Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
reponame_str INTA Digital (INTA)
collection INTA Digital (INTA)
instname_str Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
repository.name.fl_str_mv INTA Digital (INTA) - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
repository.mail.fl_str_mv tripaldi.nicolas@inta.gob.ar
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